Automatic door closer



March 12, 1929. w, OTTO "1,705,334 I AUTOMATIC DOOR CLOSER Filed May 6,1927 gwvmtoz Miller WOttO Patented Mar. 12, 19 29.

MILLER w; one, or AURORA;

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LARIIVEER} COMPANY, OF

AURORA, ILLINoIs, A CORPORATION.

AUTOMATIC noon CLOSER}.

Application filed May 6,'

.My invention relates to automatic door closers, particularly to adevice of this character wherein spring power is employed for closingthe door and pneumatic means for 5 cushioning the closing operation.

The object of the invention is to provide a neat, durable, dependableand inexpensive device of this character, all as will be hereinaftermore clalmed. I 7

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof andon which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, V

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating one application of myinvention,

Figure 2, a top plan view, 7 FigureB, a similar view with the a partlyopen position,

Figure 4, a detail of the piston, I Figure 5, a detail illustrating themethod of controlling the. escape of air from the pneumatic chamber, andv Figure 6, a'view of thescrew shown in Fig. 5 andat right angles tosaid figure." In the drawings reference character 10 indicates a screenor other door of light con struction upon which is mounted a springhinge 11 provided with an arm 12 having an opening 13 at its outer endand an intermediate opening 14 on its inner edge. A link 15 has one endpivoted in a fastening element 16 upon the door frame and has its otherend,

door in extending through the perforation 13 in the arm 12. By thisconstruction, when the door 10 is swung outwardly the arm 12 will beheld stationary by the link 15 thus effecting a twisting of the spring17 of the spring 11 and when the door is released it will be caused toclose under the action of such spring.

In order to prevent the slamming of the door, I provide pneumatic meansfor cushioning the action of the spring hinge which in the presentinstance comprises a cylinder 18 supported by means of a bracket 19 inwhich it is threaded or otherwise secured. A piston is provided forreciprocation within the cylinder 18 and said pistonv comprises a spool,as shown in Fig. 4, having a central axis 20 provided withlongitudinally spaced disks 21, said axis terminating in a tapered orconical boss 22 extending from the center of one of said disks and beingprovided particularly described and central boss 22.

hinge 1927. Serial No. 189,339.

with a ring 23 at its opposite end centrally of the disk. g

T he disks 21 of the piston spool are a sufiicient distance apart toinsure the proper guid-,

ing and bearing of the I piston within the cylinder. I v

A link 24 connects the ring 23 and the arm 12 of the spring hinge sothat as the door and cyl nder 18 thereon are moved-relative to such arm,the spool will be reciprocated in the cylinder 18. The side the taperedoreonicalboss 22 is preferably convex toform a seat for a piston leatheror cup washer 26. I

The piston leather 26 is provided with a the small outer end of thetapered or conical boss and to fit tightly about the inner end of of thedisk 25 adj acent perforation of a sizeto fitloosely on.

by a loose washer 27 held in place by cotter pin 28 extendingtransversely through the This construction is very simple and the pistonleather is prevented from slipping off the boss and yet no threads,nuts, expanders or the like are used. The tapered or conical bosspermitsthe leather cup to reach an air tight position when pressedagainst the convex face 25 of the disk 21 andv the forward travelof thepistonwith the-closing of the door favors and maintains this air tightAlso, on account position of the leather cup. of the free movement ofthe leather cup, its center and bottom are forced forward which causes apositive and full expansion of the sides of the leather cup outwardlyagainst the inner cylinder wall which forms an excellent air cushion orcompression chamber within the end of the'cylinder. V

The return or backward travel ofthe piston on the opening of the door,moves the center of the cup leather backward to the position shown inFig. {l permitting the flange or periphery ofthe leather cup to contractor relax practically eliminating friction, suction and wear on the same.

In order to control the cushioning action of the piston, I preferablyprovide an opening 29 in the portion of the bracket 19 at the bottom ofthe cylinder 18 andcontrol such )assa e b means of a screw 30 havin a tvy tapered flattened side 31 so that by longitudinal movement of thescrew. the passage of air through the opening 29 may be controlled asdesired.

One Very important feature of my invention is-due to the particulararrangement of the parts which-permits the-door to be opened as freelywith my device applied as it was before, or, in other words, through anangle of 180 on doors of medium thickness and using medium size hinges.Also, my device may be installed on right and lefnhandidoors withoutchanging any parts, it being only necessary to invert the deviceasitfunctions equally well in either position all of the parts extensionagainst said convex surface and The device may be rendered inoperativeby merely disconnecting the end of the link 15 from the opening 13 inthe arm 12; This permits the removal and replacement out the screen doorwithout altering the adjustments or the-application of'tools in mydevice.

It will beobvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changes may bemad'ein'my device witho-ut departing from the spirit oi my'invention,andI, therefore, do not limit myself to-what is shown in the drawingsand describedinthe-specification, but only-as setiorth 1n the appendedclaims.

-Having-thus fully deser-ibed my said inven ti'on,;what- I claim asnewand desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s r 1. A piston comprisinganielongated body,

a pair of transversely arranged members mounted?in longitudinally spacedrelationon said body and adapted to cooperate with a.

cylinder wall for; maintaining said body in axlalrel'ation relatlve tothe eyl1nder-,-,the side of one of'saidmembers remote from-the'othei"member beingof a convex shape, said body having a tapered extensionadjacent saidiconvex portion, and an-oppositely disposedcup shapedgasketlongitudinally'slidable on said tapered extensionand adapted' whenmoved in one direction to be moved along {the tapered against thecylinder wall to prevent the passage of air by the piston, substantiallyas set fblfltll:

2: A piston comprising a central axis,

spaced disks carried by'said' axis, said axis non-seating position and;out; of en agement with the cylinder wall to permit the passage of airby the piston, substantially assetforth.

3'. A, device of the class described; comprising a cylinder, a' pistonin said cylinder adapted to be movedlongitudinally for compressing airfor cushioning the movement" of the piston in one direction said pistoncomprising a pai'rof transversely arranged memi bers disposed inlongitudinally spaced relation, one of the members having a convex:

outer side, ataperedextension extendinglongitudinally from said" convexside, acup shaped. gasket loosely mounted on said tapered exteiisioirandadapted when thepisten V is moved in one direction-tomove-away from thecylinder wall and theconvex side to permit a1ntopass around theperipheryotthe gasket and around the projection throughthe center of thegasket, but adapted whenthe;

piston-is movedin the opposite direetionto be forced by the ill!"against said convex outer side unt1l, the central perforation lie-thegasketis closed by the tapered boss, andsuclrgas ketisxoutwardlyexpanded-into snug engagement; with the cylin'der' wall,substantially asset forth. r

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand ati Aurora, Illinois,thisfourthday May, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty seven.

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